MILLIONAIRE ENTREPRENEURS YOU PROBABLY HAVEN’T HEARD OF….

When it comes to wealthy entrepreneurs, there are a lot of names you probably think of immediately, such as Bill Gates, Hugh Hilton, Donald Trump, Mark Zuckerberg and Richard Branson. However, there are plenty of millionaires out there that you likely haven’t heard of, which is a shame, because you can learn a lot from their stories.

Here is the third.

3. Heidi Ganahl, founder of Camp Bow Wow, and motivational speaker

Who is she: The founder of doggie-daycare chain Camp Bow Wow and a powerful motivational speaker.

The lesson to learn: Just because your dream has a detour doesn’t mean you’ve the end of the road.

The story: Heidi and her husband, Bion Flammang, came up with the idea to start a doggie-daycare company together after struggling to find care for their own dogs when they traveled. In 1994, tragedy struck, and Flammang was killed in a plane crash. Although the dream had to be put on hold for the next several years as Ganahl adjusted to life as a single mother raising their children, she never gave up.

In December 2000, Ganahl turned her lifelong passion for dogs into the first Camp Bow Wow in Denver. When her second location opened in 2002, a client suggested she might want to consider franchising. After being featured on AOL, the business took off. Franchises now exist throughout the U.S. and Canada (including the original Denver location, which Heidi sold to focus on the overall business), and the company is worth more than $80 million.

Have a great business idea of your own? There’s no reason you can’t join this list someday! As the stories of Okamura, Natori and Ganahl teach us, If you’re willing to work hard and take action, anything is possible.